What You Are
by macisgate
Summary: As SG1 helps an ally, Sam remembers a mission during the Gulf War. Embellishing off that small part in “Past and Present” where she mentioned a friend who suffered amnesia when her plane crashed and why “Twinkle, Twinkle” was the song in "Grace".
1. Chapter 1

What You Are 

Season – Three. Right after the episode "Past and Present".

Spoilers – none except a small line from "Past and Present".

Summary – As SG1 helps an ally, Sam remembers a mission during the Gulf War. Embellishing off that small part in "P and P" where she mentioned she had a friend who had suffered amnesia after her plane went down and also my idea about why "Twinkle, Twinkle" was the song played in "Grace".

Disclaimer – I own Stargate. Oh wait! That was a secret. Forget I said that. Stargate? What Stargate? I have no idea what you're talking about. Ahem. I also don't own "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star".

A/N: Okay everyone, this story as been silently weaving itself in my brain for a while and is only now starting to form something I can actually write down. It's a little different from what I usually write, but I hope you will give it a chance anyway. Enjoy!

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Where was she? Why were there rough rocks and dirt underneath her? Who was shaking her? Foggily, Sam raised her head and tried to open her eyes. She shouldn't be sleeping. It was too dangerous. They had to keep moving. They had to... sleep began to invade again.

_"Twinkle twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are..."_

_"Amy, please," Sam tried desperately to block out the sound._

_"Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky..."_

Again her dreams were disturbed. What was happening?

"Carter, come on. Wake up. It's your turn for watch," the voice became louder, the shaking a little more urgent.

Sam's breath caught in her chest. Who? When? Panicked eyes quickly took in her surroundings.

The Colonel. Daniel and Teal'c's sleeping forms. Campfire. Kerans spread out apart from them, also sleeping on the ground. She slowly released her breath.

Every year it was the same. This year no different from the last. Weariness waved over her.

"Carter? You okay?"

Quickly she untangled herself from her sleeping bag, rubbing at her aching head.

"I'm fine, sir," she assured him. "Sorry, I guess I just forgot where I was for a minute."

"Ah."

Sam was relieved he didn't ask anymore questions. Not that she could have told him anything. The dream was already fading. But the memories never did. Other years, she had simply asked for some downtime. Because of her usual dedication, she had never been denied. But this year, she was stuck offworld, and there was nothing she could do about it.

As she gazed into the fire, soft notes whispered at the back of her mind, drawing her to another time.

_"Amy! Come on! We need to go!"_

_Desperately, Sam pulled at the arm of her best friend._

_Amy just looked at her through vacant eyes._

_Fire blazed beside them._

_Shaking her roughly in desperation, Sam shouted, "Lieutenant, that's an order!"_

_Even though they were equals in rank, Amy finally moved, slowly at first, but then they both broke into a slow run, their injuries making their movements awkward._

_As they stopped to catch their breath, a deafening explosion sounded from behind them._

_Sam turned slowly, pain etching her face._

_"Michael, I'm sorry!"_

A snap from the fire broke Sam from her reverie. Was it dawn already? The Keran's were beginning to stir, some already moving about.

Jack sat down beside her.

"Hey, Carter. How about some coffee? I finally found Danny's stash."

Sam smiled back at him as he put some water on to boil.

"Sounds good, sir. How are the Kerans?"

The Kerans had asked for help in moving their small group to another location. They shared this area with another people called the Telar, and territorial disputes were known to arise.

"Fine. We should be moving out in another half-hour. I estimate it'll be another day and a half before we reach their new home."

"Yes sir."

Finishing her coffee, Sam quickly set to packing up her stuff and putting out the campfire. Their makeshift camp was now bustling.

As they began to head out, Sam took her place beside the Colonel and discretely felt her wrist beside her watch. Yes. It was still there.

She sighed in relief. She did not where it always, just every year at this time.

She had to.

In memory.

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Okay guys. There's the first part. I wanted to write it as just one whole story, but I know I find really long stories a bit daunting. This will continue as Sam continues to remember that plane crash from her past while SG1 struggle to get the Kerans safely to their new home. Review?

Lots of love )


	2. Chapter 2

Hey guys! Here's the next chapter. Thanks so much to those who have reviewed. You made my day. 

Also, I forgot at the beginning of this story, but I wanted to say a special thanks to those who reviewed my last story "Cut to the Chase". A lot of you asked for a sequel, but I'm afraid I wasn't planning on one. I may include a tiny sequel in another story, just not in this one. Anyway, thanks again!

And special HUGE thanks goes to Sarah-elf princess for her wonderful ideas and support for this story! Thank you so much!

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Sam walked silently beside the Colonel. Maybe she could talk to him. He didn't know about the plane crash. It had been taken off her record to cover up the fact that they'd been in enemy territory. But that didn't really mean it was completely classified, did it? The Colonel wouldn't mind. He'd had plenty of those kinds of missions himself. Or would he mind? Would it make her appear weak? She didn't think of herself as weak. She'd survived. Would he see it that way though? Would he be disappointed when he knew the whole story? The parts she anguished over? Regretted? Wished had turned out differently but refused to forget? Allowed herself to dream about because she needed to? Needed to renew the pain, needed to remember. They deserved to be remembered.

"Carter? You've been awfully quiet," his voice broke through her thoughts.

Here was her chance. All she had to do was open her mouth and tell him and...

"O'Neill! You must come at once!" Teal'c's voice raised from ahead.

"For crying out loud. What's the problem now?"

They ran ahead till they were over the hill and spotted Daniel and Teal'c and the rest of their group facing a small group of Telars with bows and arrows drawn.

"Okay folks, what seems to be the problem here?" Jack came to stand beside his friends.

"Well, Jack, it would seem the Telars don't want us around here."

"Have you tried talking to them?"

"Yes, but they haven't talked back."

"Okay then. Well, it seems like a small enough bunch. A dozen, fifteen."

Gripping his P-90 a little closer, he walked up to the Telars.

"All right folks. You see this P-90 here?" He shot it four times into the sky drawing shocked expressions from the Telars. "It's a lot more powerful than your sticks, so I suggest you get moving before I have to prove my point."

They carefully backed up.

"Okay, Carter, Teal'c, you take that side. Daniel, you're with me. Keep your weapons trained on them until the Kerans are past. Then we'll follow behind for a bit to ensure no more followers."

"Yes sir."

Teal'c and Sam moved to the left. Keeping their weapons aimed, they slowly backed up. After twenty-five minutes, Jack finally decided they could resume as normal.

Taking a moment to replenish their water, Jack and Sam knelt beside a river refilling their canteens.

Glancing at her CO, Sam took a deep breath then returned her gaze to the bank.

"Sir, do you think about your days in black ops a lot?"

He looked at her in surprise.

"Well, yeah I guess. I mean, those are memories that are pretty hard to shake."

"Yeah."

"Why do you ask?"

Losing courage, Sam stood up recapping her canteen.

"Oh, no reason. I was just wondering."

She quickly turned and headed away.

_Finally, when she didn't think they could walk any farther, Sam decided it was time to rest._

_Breathing heavily, they sat down on the damp earth._

_"Amy?" she asked worriedly of her friend. Amy just stared at her._

_"Amy, please, do you know your name? Do you know where you are?"_

_She slowly shook her head back and forth._

_"That's okay. Don't worry. We'll be okay. We just have to think this through. We can do that, can't we?" she spoke to unlistening ears._

_"We were flying at the very south of Iraq. That must be where we are now. We just had engine trouble, so it's not like someone shot us down. Of course, with an explosion like that, someone is sure to be around soon. All we need to do is keep moving. We'll head east for a few days, and then we'll be in Kuwait and out of enemy territory. No problem. Easy." She nodded her head as if willing herself to believe._

_"Twinkle, twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are..."_

_Sam felt the hairs on her arms and back of her neck rise. Amy was now rocking herself back and forth in rhythm to the song she was singing softly._

_"She's in shock."_

_Rummaging in the pack she'd managed to drag away from the crash, she pulled out a blanket and pulled it over the lieutenant's shoulders. Grabbing the first aid kit, she patched their cuts as best she could._

_"At least we don't have any broken bones. That's good, isn't it?"_

_Her voice sounded unconvincing even to her own ears, but she had to keep talking, at least for her own sanity._

"Hey, Carter!"

Sam turned back around as she saw O'Neill jogging to catch up with her.

"Sir?"

"Look, I didn't mean to rush you off there. I mean, if you want to talk more, I..."

He looked uncomfortable. Of course he wouldn't want to talk about those days.

"Oh, no sir, that's okay. Forget I asked. I was just, I, um... I'm going to go catch up with Teal'c and Daniel. See if they need anything before we head out."

Jack let her go. He would try to talk to her again later.

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They stopped at dusk.

"Hey Carter. What you working on?" Jack walked over to where Sam was sitting against a tree typing furiously at her laptop. Sitting beside her, he looked at the screen covered in complex equations.

"Oh, well, I've been working on my theory that if you aim a narrow-band beam of coritron particles at a rate of..."

"Okay okay!" He stood up quickly. "As long as you're having fun."

"Yes sir."

"Um, so I'm going to go check on Danny," he decided, getting up and moving away. She must be okay if she could work on stuff like that.

After a few more moments she gave up trying to concentrate. She joined a group of Kerans sitting around a fire and allowed her mind to wander while they chatted amongst themselves.

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"All right, campers. Time for bed," the Colonel decided an hour later.

"I'll take first watch."

"I'll take second, sir."

"No, I want you on last, Carter. You need a full night's sleep."

"But sir..."

"That's an order, Major. Teal'c, you'll have second. Danny, third."

Sam didn't bother arguing further. She just went to the tent and began to get ready before the guys came in.

Taking off her vest, jacket, and outer shirt, she glanced down to see her dog tags lying against her tank top. Sitting down Indian style on her sleeping bag, she fingered them reverently in her open palm.

"Why should you matter so much to me?" she asked the silent fragments.

_Because they define who you are_, she answered herself. _They symbolize everything you've been through, what you worked for, what they worked for._

Clutching them in her fist, she laid down and fell asleep.

_MREs. MREs and grubs. Sam looked in repulsion at the food in front of her. Would she ever be able to appreciate food again? She didn't think so._

_Looking over at Amy, she was pleased to see her eating, albeit only a little, and albeit very slowly. Well, if Amy could do it, so could she. Of course, Amy probably didn't taste much of what was going in her mouth anyway._

_Sam sat leaning against a tree. Speaking quietly to herself, she tried to think their situation through._

_"We have enough MREs to last three days. After that we'll just have to rely on what we can find. We have an M-60 with some ammunition. Not much, but it's better than nothing. I'm okay physically. Just a couple cuts and bruises. Nothing serious. Amy has a bad cut on her forehead, but it's not bleeding anymore. We'll just have to keep the bandage clean. Considering Amy's state, I would imagine we'll be going pretty slow. I don't know how long it will take. At least I can see the sky. I'll know which way to go. I know..."_

_"Up above the world so high. Like a diamond in the sky..."_

_Sam rubbed her forehead wearily. Did she have to sing that all the time? Trying to drown out the sound, Sam continued her one-way discussion._

_"Once we cross into Kuwait, we'll still have to be careful. We can't relax until we've found a base. But that shouldn't be a problem. There should be one near the border."_

_They'd been traveling for a day and a half now. It felt like so much longer. She just wanted to go home. Her dad would be so worried. Would they think she was dead? Would they bother looking?_

_Her thoughts continued, but gradually, her eyelids began to feel heavy as the adrenaline wore off, and, against her will, she fell asleep._

_A couple hours later, she began to wake up. Her thoughts were scattered as she tried to remember where she was._

_Then it hit her. Her head snapped up as her eyes scanned the area. Something wasn't right._

_"Amy!"_

_She was gone._

"O'Neill, I have come to relieve you of your watch."

"Oh, hey buddy."

Jack stood up and stretch, trying to take the kinks out of his back.

"See you in the morning."

"Indeed."

Walking over to their tent, Jack quietly went inside, careful not to wake his teammates. Muttering drew his attention. He frowned at Carter. It was not like her to have nightmares.

"Amy, I have to find Amy."

_"I have to find her. I have to find Amy," she repeated frantically to herself._

_Where could she possibly be? Why would she have wandered off?_

_Silently but deftly she searched. When she neared a river she stopped. There she was. Sitting by the river's edge. Relief washed through her. Sam started to step out towards her, but for some reason her instincts kicked in and she froze._

_Dread raced through her. Her breathing quickened. Her heartbeat raced._

_And she watched through panicked eyes as three Iraqi soldiers emerged from the other side._

_Training took over as she raised her gun._

Jack knelt beside her, still unsure what to do. Her movements were getting more frantic now. Then she started getting out of her sleeping bag.

"Have to find her. Have to find her."

"Carter?" he grabbed her shoulder as she sat up in her sleep. "Carter, come on, wake up. It's only a dream.

"I have to find her. I need to..."

"Carter!" He gave her a rougher shake this time as she stood up. "Snap out of it!"

All of a sudden, she started struggling against him, trying to remove his hands while backing away.

"I didn't want to! I didn't!"

"Sam! Come on. You need to wake up!"

"No!" she screamed.

Instantly, her movements stilled. She raised a tearstained face to her CO and shuddered.

His grip on her arms loosened as he pulled her close.

She held on tightly.

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Sorry that was so long! But I hope you enjoyed anyway. Quite a twist coming next chapter, so stay tuned. Ooh, and please review. Lots of love!


	3. Chapter 3

What You Are – Chapter 3 

Hey everyone! Sorry for the delay. School's getting quite busy at the moment. Thank you so much for your reviews! Hope you enjoy this next chapter...

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The fire crackled and snapped as Daniel poked it with a stick. Sparks drifted upwards and disappeared. He rested his chin in his hand as he stared at the flames. He had slipped out of their tent as soon as he'd woken. Jack and Sam had been sitting closely together talking quietly. Sam looked like she'd been crying. Jack was talking too softly for him to make out the words, but he could tell by the tightness of his voice and the concern on his face that it was important.

Dawn was starting to arrive. He stood up and stretched, covering a yawn with the back of his hand.

"Hey, Teal'c, you want some coffee? I've been keeping a stash for just such an occasion."

"Thank you, Daniel Jackson, but I am afraid your coffee is no longer where it once was."

"But wha...? Jack."

"Somebody say my name?" Jack and Sam exited the tent and walked towards them.

"Sam, are you okay?" Daniel hugged her close.

Sam rubbed at her eyes and gave him a small smile.

"Yeah, I'm okay. Thanks. Sorry for waking you up."

"Don't worry about it."

They all took seats around the fire. No one said anything for a while.

"I would offer you coffee, but..."

"Oh, would you look at the time!" Jack stood quickly. "I'm just going to check on our Keran friends." He offered them a hasty salute as he went on his way. Sam returned it before turning back to the fire with a smile.

Jack took a detour into the wooded area. He needed to be alone for a minute. Stopping by a tree, he sat down and leaned his head against the bark. Trees. He poked fun at them often, but the truth was that he always found them a comfort. They were always there. Green and lush and life. Maybe that's why he liked his cabin so much.

She'd been in such pain. She still was. He was amazed she'd held it in so long. Going through the same torture every year. He'd had enough tough missions of his own, but they were just that, missions. He'd known his objectives, known what was expected of him. She hadn't had that. She'd been alone, left to fend for herself and another.

He rubbed a hand over his forehead and started to get up.

"Jack! There you are."

He turned around to see Daniel running up to him.

"The Telars are attacking!"

Sam looked over from her position behind some sacks to see Jack and Daniel returning. Focusing her gaze back on the Telars, she began to worry. There were so many. They had come out of nowhere and were advancing at an alarming rate.

Behind her she heard a scream and struggling. She turned to see one of the Telars trying to drag a Keran child away. The boy was struggling too much for her to chance taking a shot.

"Hey! Pick on someone your own size!" she yelled as she landed a punch square on the Telar's jaw. She felt a moment of victory until multiple hands from behind grabbed her. She continued to struggle until a cloth was placed over her mouth and darkness overwhelmed.

_She covered the bodies as best she could. She refused to cry. She would cry later. Now she had to focus on survival. They couldn't stay here a moment longer. Three missing soldiers would certainly draw attention. She walked over to Amy and knelt down so she was eye-level with her._

_"Amy, you have to listen to me. Please. We need to get out of here, and we need to get out right now. More people will be coming, and they'll be looking for us. We have to stay together. We have to make sure we're not seen. And most important, we have to make sure we're not captured. Got it? Amy?"_

_Amy slowly nodded her head. Sam prayed she truly did understand. Getting up from the ground, she dusted her knees off. Not that it made any difference. Her clothes were filthy anyway._

_"Let's go."_

_After walking for hours, Sam finally decided they could stop and rest. She rummaged in their bag for some MREs. Finally finding two, she looked up to see Amy eating a couple berries from a nearby bush._

_"Amy, I don't know if you should be eating those. We don't know what they are."_

_They did look good though._

_She put one in her mouth. It tasted good. And it's not like they had a lot of choices. They had to eat something. Taking a couple handfuls and a few sips of water, they started out again._

_Ten minutes passed. Then the dizziness began._

_Taking deep breaths, she tried to fight back the nausea. Her legs felt weak beneath her and her hands began to shake. She looked over at Amy. She didn't seem affected. She just watched as Sam fell hard to the ground losing consciousness, her wrist giving a sickening snap as it twisted between her and the root of a tree._

_"Twinkle, twinkle little star. How I wonder what you are..."_

_Pain ran in waves through her body as she slowly made her way to consciousness. How long had she been out, she didn't know. Opening her eyes halfway, she reached a hand up to her forehead only to have the pain increase sharply. She looked at Amy sitting beside her thankful she was still there. The soft singing eased her as unconsciousness took over once more._

_"Up above the world so high. Like a diamond in the sky..."_

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Well that's it for tonight folks! I need some sleep. A new chapter will be up tomorrow though! And lots longer I hope. Thanks for reading. Hope you liked!


	4. Chapter 4

What You Are – Chapter 4

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Daniel looked up from the wound he was cleaning on one of the Kerans' foreheads.

"Teal'c, have you found Jack and Sam yet?"

"Indeed not, Daniel Jackson. It would appear they have been captured."

Daniel groaned in frustration. Where did they even begin? The Telars had finally left, but only after causing a lot of injuries and capturing a dozen people, Jack and Sam included.

"We need to organize. Keep everyone levelheaded. Let's get everyone together. Then we can figure out what we need to do. We need to think of a way to get them back."

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Sam's eyes slowly blinked open. Her head was pounding. Carefully, she sat up.

"Well, Sleeping Beauty, it's about time."

"Sir?"

They were sitting together in a tent. Sam looked around to see ten Kerans with them.

"It would seem we've been captured," Jack offered grimly.

"So it would."

"Oh, don't worry. Danny and Teal'c will have us out in no time. We'll just have to be patient. There are guards all around the tent, so we won't be going anywhere fast on our own. Food's not bad though," he motioned to the bowl of mush in his hand.

Sam's gaze took in the area. The Kerans were spread out. None of them looked seriously injured. She felt a pang as she noticed the boy she'd tried to save earlier among the group. Tried being the operative word.

Suddenly, one of the Telars entered the tent. Pointing to a woman, he motioned for two others to take her.

"You. Come with me."

"Hey!" Jack stood up. "You want to take someone, you're going to take me."

But one of the guards stood in front of him with a stick, preventing him from moving.

_Sam again regained consciousness. It was now dark, but the moon was bright. She sat up carefully this time, holding her hurt wrist close. Taking deep breaths, she was relieved to find that most of the dizziness and sickness from before had gone. Still she berated herself._

_"I can't believe I did that. I should have been more careful. I should have just eaten the stupid MRE. Amy only had a couple berries. That must be why they didn't bother her." Sam groaned. Amy._

_There she was. Thank goodness. Sam was about to resort to tying a rope to her. Tearing a strip of material from her jacket, she eased it around the swollen area._

_"Amy?" she walked up to her. Nausea returned as she jostled her wrist._

_"Amy? We need to keep moving. Come on."_

_Amy stood and fell into step._

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"Okay, a lot of your possessions were damaged, but our food supply is still good. We all need to stick close together. I don't want anyone wandering off by themselves. Twelve people have been taken. We're going to work out a way to get them back and..."

"Daniel Jackson, five Telars are approaching."

Daniel turned from the gathered Kerans to see four men walking towards them. Teal'c charged his staff weapon but froze. They had a hostage. One of the Keran women. One of the men stepped forward, the woman clutched closely to him, a knife in his hand.

"Move and she dies! We have twelve of your people. We will release them when you have left our land. If you try to attack, they will be the first ones killed."

"Can we talk?" Daniel took a careful step forward. "We can meet and discuss..."

"You have until sundown to make your decision."

With that they left as quickly as they'd appeared.

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Jack took the bowl of food and handed it over to Sam. She didn't look interested.

"No thanks, sir."

"Come on. You have to eat something. That's an order."

"Yes sir."

Grudgingly she took the offered food and put some in her mouth. It tasted like oatmeal. No sugar. Just oatmeal. Some of the Kerans were dozing off. Others just sat talking quietly.

Suddenly, a struggle was heard outside the tent, as the woman was shoved back inside.

They rushed over to her.

"Are you okay? What happened?"

"I am well," she assured them. "They took me to our people and told them that if they didn't leave by sundown or if they tried to attack, we would be killed. They said we would be released after we got off their land."

"Do you think they'll do that, sir?" Sam asked her CO.

"I don't know. It's possible, but you never really know what to expect with people like this. If Danny and Teal'c don't believe them, then they will try something else. We'll just have to be ready for whatever happens."

"Yes sir."

_They moved softly through the night. Trying to make as little sound as possible and trying to remain out of sight. The bright moon was both a blessing and a curse. They had some visibility, but they could also be easily spotted if someone was nearby. They stopped for a moment to catch their breath. Sam looked at the sky, trying to determine their whereabouts._

_"Well, I know we're going in the right direction. I just can't tell you how long it will take," she said to her friend._

_Standing up once more, they continued their movement eastward._

_But after forty-five minutes, a scream and hard thud froze Sam._

_Right beside her was Amy, fallen on the ground, her ankle twisted at an odd angle._

_Kneeling beside her friend, she felt the ankle. It was broken. She would have to try to set it. She also felt the accompanying knee and heard a hiss of pain. Could the situation get anymore complicated?_

_"I'm sorry, Amy," she began in frustration. "It looks like you twisted your knee too. We need to splint it."_

_Before she started, she gave Amy the only morphine they had. Then she picked out sticks that would do the trick. Taking some of the rope from her pack, she splinted Amy's leg. By the time she was done, sweat was rolling down her face. Her body shook with pain. How she had splinted a person's leg properly with a broken wrist, she didn't know. Exhausted, she sank to the ground. They had to stop for now._

Darkness had fallen. The tent was quiet as people started going to sleep.

"Hey, Carter? I'm really sorry something like this had to happen, well, now."

"It's okay, sir. I'm sure Daniel and Teal'c will have us out ofhere soon."

"Can I ask you a question?"

She nodded.

"After all of that, how come you stayed in the Air Force? Most people would have left."

"I suppose it's because we had all been so excited about it. Mike and Amy and me. We stuck together from the very beginning. I guess because it meant so much to them, I couldn't just leave. Had to carry on for them in a way. Keep a part of them with me. At first, I suppose I stayed out of guilt, but then I realized I really did still love the Air Force. So I stayed."

"I'm glad."

_"Hey guys, wait up!"_

_Sam and Amy turned to see Mike running to catch up with them a huge grin on his face._

_"Why are you in such a hurry?" Amy asked._

_"Haven't you heard yet? We got it! We got a mission. Flying surveillance over Iraq."_

_The night before they were to leave, they gathered together for their traditional pizza and diet coke. They mostly just talked and laughed, letting the hours pass. Finally, Amy stood up._

_"I'll see you guys tomorrow. If I sleep in one more time, Howells is going to have me peeling potatoes for a month, whether I'm on an airplane or not."_

_Sam giggled then swigged down the rest of her coke and stood up._

_"I think I'll head out too."_

_"Hey guys, hold on for a second."_

_Mike carefully took a small bundle of cloth from his pocket. Looking slightly embarrassed, he removed the cloth to reveal three matching leather bracelets._

_"I, uh, noticed some of the other teams doing this so I thought..." he shrugged._

_They were silent as they each reverently took one of the finely crafted pieces and tied it to their wrists._

_They smiled at each other._

_"Now we're ready."_

She smiled at him then softly squeezed his hand.

"Me too."

They finally let sleep claim them, joining the heavy breathing of their companions.

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Hope you enjoyed! Thanks so much for all the reviews! Please keep them coming! Next chapter may take a while, but we shall see. I'll have a bit more of Daniel and Teal'c's side in that one. Should be interesting. Lots of love!


	5. Chapter 5

What You Are – Chapter 5

Well everyone, exams are finally over! Sorry it has been so long since an update, but I really needed to focus on my studies. Good news though! Your patience is being rewarded with a really long chapter! I hope you enjoy it. Thanks so much for sticking with me.

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Daniel watched as the sun sank lower and lower in the sky. He ran a hand through his hair.

"What are we going to do?" he asked Teal'c.

"I believe we need to remain calm, Daniel Jackson. I have no doubt we will come up with a suitable plan."

"Yes, but every minute longer we spend thinking about it, the closer it's getting to sundown. Maybe we should just go. Maybe they'll keep their word."

"Perhaps. But is that a chance you are willing to take?"

"No. I guess not. But how can we face them in battle. We don't have that many people. Especially since so many were captured."

Teal'c stood up from his place by the fire.

"I believe the element of surprise would serve us best."

Daniel froze, then turned wide eyes up to his friend.

"Take them by surprise. Teal'c, that's brilliant! I think I've got an idea now!"

Daniel continued muttering even as he walked out of earshot of his friend.

Smiling his knowing smile, Teal'c began to follow.

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Sam's head snapped off its place on the Colonel's shoulder as voices outside the tent could be heard.

"They're leaving! I just saw them. The Kerans are leaving!"

"The cowards. I wouldn't have thought they would give in so quickly."

"Should we release the hostages now?"

Those inside the tent sat frozen as they waited for the answer.

Laughter.

_Sam rose off the ground with a start. What was going on? Hours must have passed since she had splinted Amy's leg. But what had woken her up? Then she heard it again. The roar of engines and a soft whistle that her trained ears knew instantly. The accompanying explosion confirmed her worst fears. The area was being attacked. By their own people._

_"Amy. Amy, wake up right now!" Sam shook her friend frantically, regretting that she'd given her morphine though she really hadn't had a choice at the time._

_Another whistle._

_"Amy, please!"_

_Amy opened her eyes._

Jack and Sam winced at each other as they heard the Telars' laughter.

"That can't be good."

"I guess Daniel decided to trust them."

"He couldn't have known."

"What do you suggest we do, sir?"

"Well, I don't know about you, but I'd rather go down fighting. At the next possible opportunity, we'll make our move."

"Sounds good to me, sir."

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Daniel's feet brushed silently along the ground. Turning to signal to the others, he crouched down beside a tree and took out a pair of binoculars as Teal'c took position beside him and pulled out his own pair. The Kerans crouched beside them.

"There. That's got to be it. It's the only tent that's being guarded, and it's big enough to hold all the people."

"I agree, Daniel Jackson."

Teal'c gripped his staff weapon even tighter. It had taken them a while to circle back around, but they had moved quickly after they were sure they were no longer being followed.

"I see three people in a watch tower. We should target them first."

"Would it not be wiser to begin with the guards at the tent, Daniel Jackson. If we alert them to our presence, they may begin harming the hostages before we get there."

"Oh, yeah I guess you're right. Well, what if we formed a line? Then we could work our way closer and protect ourselves better than if we just made a beeline for the tent."

"Agreed. We should place most of our number at the middle with a few on each side to protect us while we advance."

"All right," Daniel nodded. "Let's do it."

oooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"Did you hear that?" one guard asked his companions.

"What?"

"Over by the trees. I swear I..."

Suddenly forms came into view.

"It's the Kerans!"

Those in the tent rushed to their feet at the sound of shouts.

"Well, I guess this is as good an opportunity as any."

"Yes sir!"

They rushed out of the tent to join their friends.

As soon as Jack exited the tent, he swung the nearest guard around and punched him hard. Shaking out his hand in pain, he did not pause before moving to the next one.

Sam was pulling her own weight as well. After backhanding one Telar and elbowing him in the stomach, she took another one down with a nearby piece of firewood. Throwing down her broken stick, she quickly took in her surroundings.

The boy. Sweeping the child up in her arms, she ran towards the trees, ignoring the fighting around her. Placing him down at the edge of the woods, she took his small hand in her own and looked into his scared eyes.

"I need you to stay here, okay? You'll be okay, but it's safer here. Do you understand? Don't move."

He nodded mutely.

Giving his hand one last squeeze, Sam went to rejoin the fight.

_Sam pulled one of Amy's arms over her shoulders trying to help her friend by bearing some of her weight. They hobbled along as blasts echoed all around them._

_One whistle became particularly loud._

_"Oh, that can't be good."_

_The blast rocked the ground beneath them as they were thrown forward._

_Sam quickly picked herself up despite the pain throbbing through her body._

_"We need to move now!"_

Sam took out two more Telars on her way back to the center of the fight. Looking to her left, she noticed a woman fighting against one of the Telar men. She looked like she was beginning to flag.

"Hey!" Sam shouted behind him. Turning around in surprise, he was met with a fierce right hook.

"He's going to be feeling that one in the morning," she gloated, rubbing her sore fingers.

But she didn't get to gloat for long as she was grabbed from behind. Remembering the last time that had happened, she deftly stomped on her captor's toes and swung viciously at him as he dropped his grip.

The fighting continued for what seemed like ages, when finally her CO's voice rose above the clamor.

"All right people, let's move. Come one! Everybody out!"

They ran towards the trees, cautiously looking behind them to make sure the Telars didn't rally another attack.

Sam ran beside Jack. The Telars weren't advancing, but something still didn't feel right.

"The little boy! I left him over there," Sam pointed far to their right. "I need to go get him!"

"No, Carter, you can't. It's too dangerous."

But she was already on her way.

"Teal'c!" Jack called to his friend and motioned for him to follow. "We better cover her."

_They had only gone about four meters when another blast threw them to the ground. This time much harder. This time, they didn't get back up._

Sam finally made it to the child who frantically gripped his arms around her neck when she picked him up. Immediately she turned to make her way back to the group. She decided to cut through the trees. She ran as fast as she could, though somewhat awkwardly because of her extra burden. The sound of twigs snapping behind her caused her to look behind.

Two Telars were hot on her trail. With even more urgency, she turned back around and moved for all she was worth. She could feel them catching up, their ragged breathing sounding behind her. Then stopping as two staff blasts shot through the air.

"You know, next time I give you an order, Major..."

"Yes, sir." She grinned as her friends drew up beside her. "And thanks."

_Fingers brushed gently through her hair._

_"General! Over here, sir!"_

_"What is it, Major?"_

_"Air Force pilots. They're American, sir."_

_The next time Sam opened her eyes, she found herself strapped to a stretcher, the roar of a plane surrounding her. She turned her head to see a young major sitting beside her in the small space. He looked up as soon as she moved._

_"Amy! Where is she? She was with me. Did you find her?"_

_"Don't you worry, Ma'am. We've got her in a plane right beside ours. She's going to be just fine. We're taking you home."_

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Amy hadn't been that fine though. True, her injuries had healed and after much counseling she'd regained her right mind. She just couldn't stay in the Air Force. Couldn't take it anymore she'd said. Sam had tried to stay in touch, but her efforts were ignored. Last she'd heard Amy had gone back to school for an education degree. Maybe it was for the best. Sam probably reminded her too much of what had been when what she really needed was a fresh start. And Amy had always been good with children.

Yes, Sam decided, maybe they would be okay after all. Michael would never be with them again, but they would always have their memories, and they had survived and even moved on with their lives. He would have been proud.

Rubbing her hand over her bracelet, she gave a small smile and nod.

Everything was going to be just fine.

"AHHHHHHHH!"

Sam's head jerked to the sound of a scream. Daniel was running over to Jack, desperation straining his features.

Jack looked up innocently from the jug he was drinking out of.

Daniel grabbed the jar out of Jack's hands and held it protectively to his chest. Quickly he glanced around to see if any of the Kerans had noticed his outburst.

"This is the ceremonial vase of Kelma Boran!" he hissed.

Jack just stared at him.

"It is not to be touched by human hands!"

Jack raised his eyebrows.

Realization dawned as Daniel looked down at his own hands.

"Ahh!"

Carefully, he put it back in its proper place, glaring at Jack. The Colonel just shrugged.

Sam grinned and shook her head as she turned away from them. They made a good team.

_Mike carefully took a small bundle of cloth from his pocket. Looking slightly embarrassed, he removed the cloth to reveal three matching leather bracelets._

_"I, uh, noticed some of the other teams doing this so I thought..." he shrugged._

_They were silent as they each reverently took one of the finely crafted pieces and tied it to their wrists._

_They smiled at each other._

_"Now we're ready."_

They stood before the event horizon, the blue waves glistening softly.

"Ready to head out, Major?"

"Yes sir... I'm ready."

_Twinkle, twinkle little star. How I wonder what you are. Up above the world so high. Like a diamond in the sky. Twinkle, twinkle little star. How I wonder what you are..._

ooooooooooo

THE END

ooooooooooo

Wow! I didn't realize I was going to finish it in this chapter. But as usually is the case, the story kind of wrote itself. I hope you enjoyed this story! Sorry again about the delayed update. Hope it was worth the wait!

Best wishes and lots of love! macisgate


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